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Title: Calixarene crown ether solvent composition and use thereof for extraction of cesium from alkaline waste solutions

Abstract

A solvent composition and corresponding method for extracting cesium (Cs) from aqueous neutral and alkaline solutions containing Cs and perhaps other competing metal ions is described. The method entails contacting an aqueous Cs-containing solution with a solvent consisting of a specific class of lipophilic calix[4]arene-crown ether extractants dissolved in a hydrocarbon-based diluent containing a specific class of alkyl-aromatic ether alcohols as modifiers. The cesium values are subsequently recovered from the extractant, and the solvent subsequently recycled, by contacting the Cs-containing organic solution with an aqueous stripping solution. This combined extraction and stripping method is especially useful as a process for removal of the radionuclide cesium-137 from highly alkaline waste solutions which are also very concentrated in sodium and potassium. No pre-treatment of the waste solution is necessary, and the cesium can be recovered using a safe and inexpensive stripping process using water, dilute (millimolar) acid solutions, or dilute (millimolar) salt solutions. An important application for this invention would be treatment of alkaline nuclear tank wastes. Alternatively, the invention could be applied to decontamination of acidic reprocessing wastes containing cesium-137.

Inventors:
 [1];  [2];  [2];  [3]
  1. Oak Ridge, TN
  2. Knoxville, TN
  3. Ooltewah, TN
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
873495
Patent Number(s):
6174503
Assignee:
Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corporation (Oak Ridge, TN)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
C - CHEMISTRY C22 - METALLURGY C22B - PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02P - CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
DOE Contract Number:  
AC05-96OR22464
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
calixarene; crown; solvent; composition; extraction; cesium; alkaline; waste; solutions; corresponding; method; extracting; cs; aqueous; neutral; containing; competing; metal; described; entails; contacting; cs-containing; solution; consisting; specific; lipophilic; calix; arene-crown; extractants; dissolved; hydrocarbon-based; diluent; alkyl-aromatic; alcohols; modifiers; values; subsequently; recovered; extractant; recycled; organic; stripping; combined; especially; useful; process; removal; radionuclide; cesium-137; highly; concentrated; sodium; potassium; pre-treatment; safe; inexpensive; water; dilute; millimolar; acid; salt; application; treatment; nuclear; tank; wastes; alternatively; applied; decontamination; acidic; reprocessing; reprocessing waste; stripping process; wastes containing; alkaline solutions; organic solution; salt solutions; method entails; alkaline waste; containing organic; diluent containing; stripping solution; acid solutions; salt solution; acid solution; especially useful; waste solutions; solutions containing; waste solution; solvent composition; alkaline solution; aqueous strip; reprocessing wastes; combined extraction; containing cesium; containing solution; corresponding method; extracting cesium; processing waste; /423/252/

Citation Formats

Moyer, Bruce A, Sachleben, Richard A, Bonnesen, Peter V, and Presley, Derek J. Calixarene crown ether solvent composition and use thereof for extraction of cesium from alkaline waste solutions. United States: N. p., 2001. Web.
Moyer, Bruce A, Sachleben, Richard A, Bonnesen, Peter V, & Presley, Derek J. Calixarene crown ether solvent composition and use thereof for extraction of cesium from alkaline waste solutions. United States.
Moyer, Bruce A, Sachleben, Richard A, Bonnesen, Peter V, and Presley, Derek J. Mon . "Calixarene crown ether solvent composition and use thereof for extraction of cesium from alkaline waste solutions". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/873495.
@article{osti_873495,
title = {Calixarene crown ether solvent composition and use thereof for extraction of cesium from alkaline waste solutions},
author = {Moyer, Bruce A and Sachleben, Richard A and Bonnesen, Peter V and Presley, Derek J},
abstractNote = {A solvent composition and corresponding method for extracting cesium (Cs) from aqueous neutral and alkaline solutions containing Cs and perhaps other competing metal ions is described. The method entails contacting an aqueous Cs-containing solution with a solvent consisting of a specific class of lipophilic calix[4]arene-crown ether extractants dissolved in a hydrocarbon-based diluent containing a specific class of alkyl-aromatic ether alcohols as modifiers. The cesium values are subsequently recovered from the extractant, and the solvent subsequently recycled, by contacting the Cs-containing organic solution with an aqueous stripping solution. This combined extraction and stripping method is especially useful as a process for removal of the radionuclide cesium-137 from highly alkaline waste solutions which are also very concentrated in sodium and potassium. No pre-treatment of the waste solution is necessary, and the cesium can be recovered using a safe and inexpensive stripping process using water, dilute (millimolar) acid solutions, or dilute (millimolar) salt solutions. An important application for this invention would be treatment of alkaline nuclear tank wastes. Alternatively, the invention could be applied to decontamination of acidic reprocessing wastes containing cesium-137.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2001},
month = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2001}
}

Works referenced in this record:

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Synthesis and Binding Property of Tunable Upper-Rim Calix[4]crowns
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Synthesis and co-ordination chemistry of a novel bis(benzo crown ether) substituted calix[4]arene that can simultaneously complex cations and anions
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III. Cesium extractive metallurgy Ore to metal
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Synthesis, Complexation, and Membrane Transport Studies of 1,3-Alternate Calix[4]arene-crown-6 Conformers: A New Class of Cesium Selective Ionophores
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Applicability of a Calixarene-Crown Compound for the Removal of Cesium from Alkaline Tank Waste
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Doubly Crowned Calix[4]arenes in the 1,3-Alternate Conformation as Cesium-Selective Carriers in Supported Liquid Membranes
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1,3-Dialkoxycalix[4]arenecrowns-6 in 1,3-Alternate Conformation: Cesium-Selective Ligands that Exploit Cation-Arene Interactions
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